Worthy Publishing Group and the Museum of the Bible have joined forces on a new book-publishing imprint, Museum of the Bible Books.
“It’s a partnering; the Museum of the Bible will serve as content developers and we’re doing the packaging, marketing, and distribution,” Worthy’s president and CEO Byron Williamson told PW. “We’re working with scholars, designers, and curators to translate information from the museum into books for a broad consumer.”
Two to three titles are slated for release in fall 2016, with additional adult and children’s books being published to coincide with the museum’s opening in November 2017. Williamson expects that a dozen books will follow annually. Museum of the Bible books, which will be available in several languages and in electronic formats, are intended to help readers of all ages engage with the Bible.
“There will be dozens of editions of books—entertaining things on the Bible to more scholarly,” said Williamson, noting that book categories will include YA. “The books will fit the demographic of the museum's visitors.”
The eight-story, 430,000-square-foot Museum of the Bible is still under construction in Washington, D.C., but museum officials are expecting over six million visitors in their first year open. Consequently, Williamson said the museum will be a major source of distribution.
The Museum of the Bible Books imprint will be lead by a director in the near future who will work "day-to-day with us,” said Williamson.
